By Macalester Health Promotions Student Staff Members

Have you ever had that awkward moment in Café Mac “the morning after” when you can’t quite recall the events of last night’s party? Or maybe a relationship was jeopardized because of words you can’t remember saying the night before. Maybe you’ve woken up after a night over the toilet in Dupre wondering who ever thought a hangover was fun? The campaign Stop @ Buzzed is a student-driven initiative that aims to respond to overdrinking and its unintended consequences at Mac (Winter ball, anyone?). We want to acknowledge that drinking does exist on Macalester’s campus, but we also believe an honest awareness of the dangers of overdrinking is an important step to avoid drunken words or actions that put students and the community at risk of harm. We want to promote an environment where students know their limits when it comes to drinking. As much “fun” as clogging sinks with vomit and peeing in plants is, we would rather see students who choose to develop safer drinking strategies that reduce the risk of these less-than-optimal situations. We need to create an understanding among the Macalester student body that binge drinking to the point of unconsciousness or intoxication has negative implications for the whole community. Lapses in good judgment, hospital trips, property damage, and regrettable interactions can all result from drinking too much. Maybe we think we know all of this, but it’s definitely time to take an extra look at the rise of overdrinking at Mac and admit that these disappointing instances can quickly overshadow the positive intellectual reputation students and faculty have built for this institution. If you chose to drink, we suggest asking yourself: How many drinks get me “buzzed?” How many drinks can I have before I no longer trust my decisions? Keep an eye out for Stop @ Buzzed posters and activities to participate in this dialogue. refresh –>